Purchasing Officer

Job summary

FCDO SERVICES

Purchasing Officer- Fixed Term- 12 Months

£33,014 plus a location allowance of £1,750 and excellent benefits

Based in Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes

Free shuttle bus available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park

At FCDO Services we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings and courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we’re on. In our world, it all matters.

Job description

Behind every modern embassy or overseas project we support, there’s a dedicated Procurement team here in the UK making it all happen. They strive to provide value for money supply chains in a compliant manner to support the organisation, FCDO and our wider market customers, shaping strategies for sustainable and ethical sourcing. And now, you've got the opportunity to join them.

Sourcing for global projects

Balancing cost with quality

Having everything you need to grow

It all matters

Use all your purchasing skills as you support our global mission

Procurement at FCDO Services is busy, fast-paced and highly collaborative, and when you join one of our buying teams you’ll follow our policies and regulations as you work to provide a service of the very highest quality. Directing, engaging, coaching, managing and developing your team, and ensuring key performance measures are met, you’ll review requisitions for accuracy and compliance before gaining approval from Senior Managers. Operating within a delegated authority limit, you’ll also work with your Purchasing Manager to increase customer satisfaction and engagement with the team.

Committed to ensuring business compliance with relevant procurement policies, and identifying solutions to ongoing issues and trends by undertaking monthly and quarterly reviews of team reporting and analysis, we’ll expect you to provide professional advice on any escalated matters. You’ll also support your colleagues in external and internal audits, deliver scheduled reports and manage business processes. Acting as the team’s Information Asset Manager, you’ll ensure that all data is stored correctly, identify risks and suggest mitigations, and work to identify efficiencies and opportunities to collaborate buying activities.

Grow and develop your career as you help defend the UK’s security interests

In this important role, you’ll be part of a growing centralised buying function at FCDO Services, joining us at a point where the team is shaping how purchasing support will work in the future. An inspirational and motivating communicator with superb customer service skills, you’ll be an imaginative problem solver and have the confidence to work with managers at all levels of our global organisation. Capable of meeting tight deadlines and performance targets without direct supervision, you should also have well developed experience of line management or its equivalent, an aptitude for change and a readiness to continually look for process improvements to create efficiencies.

Your excellent writing skills will allow you to produce clear, concise reports and briefings for internal stakeholders, and some knowledge of business performance management and commercial processes would be desirable. In addition, an understanding of the Enterprise Resource Planning platform and systems we use for our core finance operations would be a bonus.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further

But we’re always looking to improve – just like you. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Want to see your future team’s work in action? Step into our Virtual Embassy and select a guide to take you round to see how we deliver for government customers and how you could help. Explore the embassy now at virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you to undergo our vetting process to achieve Security Check (SC) clearance. You can find out more about vetting at fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Closing date: 22nd September 2026

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Person specification

• Strong communication and customer service skills
• Experience at working with managers at all levels across an organisation
• A dedicated approach to meeting strict deadlines and performance targets without direct supervision
• Line management or equivalent experience
• An ability to provide reports and briefings for internal stakeholders
• An ability to continually look for process improvements to create efficiencies

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Strong communication and customer service skills
• A dedicated approach to meeting strict deadlines and performance targets without direct supervision
• Line management or equivalent experience
• An ability to provide reports and briefings for internal stakeholders
• An ability to continually look for process improvements to create efficiencies

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Strong communication and customer service skills
• A dedicated approach to meeting strict deadlines and performance targets without direct supervision
• Line management or equivalent experience
• An ability to provide reports and briefings for internal stakeholders

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,014, FCDO Services contributes £9,564 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension
• A leave allowance of 25 days per annum
• 9 days per annum public and privilege days

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide your CV, a personal statement, and provide answers to some job specific/technical skills.

Your CV and personal statement will not form part of the assessment they will provide an insight into your work history and experience.

Your CV should include:

• no personal identifying details
• career history with key responsibilities
• achievements
• qualifications

Your personal statement should outline your interest in the role.

Candidates will only be sifted on answers provided to the technical/ job specific questions which are outlined in the application form.

Those that are successful will be invited to a Face to face interview.

At the interview you will be asked a blend of questions on technical/job specific skills and behaviours.

Candidates who are judged to be close to meeting the criteria may be considered for other positions in FCDO Services which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk
• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact FCDOServices.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from FCDO Services, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For more information, please visit their website.

Attachments

Candidate Pack- Purchasing Officer final Opens in new window (pdf, 1794kB)